Willow River Parent Group treasurer bound over for trial

A Hudson woman charged in the theft of funds from the Willow River Elementary School parent group will plead to the charges next month.

Judge Howard W. Cameron found probable cause a crime was committed during a preliminary hearing Aug. 17 and bound Nichole R. Haugen, 28, over for trial. She was scheduled to enter a plea on the charges in a Sept. 20 arraignment hearing.

Haugen is charged with four felony counts of theft in a business setting. She is accused of taking more than $35,000 from a parent group at the school.

The criminal complaint said Haugen was the treasurer of the non-profit Willow River Parents Group and one of only two officers who had access to the club’s checking account.

An officer of the group contacted police when thousands of dollars appeared to be missing. Checks written on the account were negotiated in the off season when no school activity took place and one was written to Verizon Wireless that apparently was for Haugen’s personal use, the complaint said.

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